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Object 777

In the first half of the 1950's, Soviet tank design bureaus were working on creating a new generation of heavy tanks, the best known of which would later become the T-10 (IS-8). There were however other projects as well – better and more powerful. The boom of the heavy tank design in the early 50's was heavily influenced by the fact, that (according to Soviet data, anyway) the Americans were building armored vehicles en masse and were preparing new very powerful projects of both medium and heavy tanks (the Soviet sources list the “T43 heavy tank” as “matching the T-10 in power”).

The first proposals for the new tank were sent to the Ministry of Transport and Heavy Machinery in June 1953, describing project variants of several heavy tanks, weighing from 46 to 50 tons. During the drawing creation, these recieved the designation of Object 752 and Object 777. These drawings included more powerful guns (the 122mm M62-T2 for example), new hull and turret designs, as well as suspension (using hydraulics or individual torsion bars).

These vehicles were designed by ChKZ (Chelyabinsk Kirov Plant), which also designed new powerplant for the heavy vehicles: the 850-900hp V-7 diesel. The armor was designed specifically to protect the vehicle from new types of weapons. One interesting feature of the Object 777 was the remote-controlled AA 14.5mm machinegun KVP, another was the commander’s stabilized optics (TKNS) and the design of the hull and turret, both of which were made by casting with welded bottom.

At the same time (June 1953), a 1:10 mock-up of the vehicle was created and the assembled materials were sent to the abovementioned ministry in December 1953. Despite the fact that the development continued into 1954 however, the vehicle project was rejected. The vehicle was however in the ministry report rated higher than the T-10.